Berlingo L1 van users help please!

[Roswell]

Hi,

Could any L1 van owners and users out there check their V5 log book and let me know if any of you have the "body type" listed as "car derived van" rather than "panel van". I am currently disputing a speeding fine and have discovered that there is a bit of a grey area with regards to the classification of the Berlingo van. 

Your help is much appreciated.

[brodfather11]

I have a Y reg berlingo and always thought it was a car derived van which the early models were.
It is now a light panel van and it seems that some areas are different IIRC regarding speed limits.
I live in Scotland and the speed limit here for HGVs is still 40 though that doesn't seem to bother the Irish drivers on the A75 mostly averaging about 60. You don't get held up travelling behind them until they cant pass a slower vehicle doing the legal limit.
I don't think the speed limit for light commercials is different from the English/Welsh ones. I think it now depends on the weight of the van but could be wrong. 60 for car derived vans and 50 for larger heavier vans ,eg. transits etc as far as I know .
Soon find out as I passed a camera van doing 59 yesterday.

[Johny555]

Mine is 2017 ,L1 log book says panel van,.mines a 850 kg,100 HP,if that makes any difference ?

[Roswell]

Here's the definition as per the DVLA website and the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Legal definition of a car derived van
Schedule 6 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 describes a car derived van as:

‘car-derived van’ means a goods vehicle which is constructed or adapted as a derivative of a passenger vehicle and which has a maximum laden weight not exceeding 2 tonnes.’

How to identify a car derived van
Car derived vans are:

designed to weigh no more than 2 tonnes when loaded fully
based on car designs or the vehicle is built from a platform which has been designed and developed to be built as a car or a van by the same manufacturer
As a general rule, from the outside, these vehicles will look like the size of a car, but on the inside the vehicle will look like and function as a van, because:

there will be no rear seats, rear seat belts or mountings
there will be a payload area with floor panel in the rear of the vehicle
there will be no side windows in the rear of the vehicle - or if present, side windows will be opaque and fixed (with no means of opening or closing)


Seems to me that this describes a Citroën Berlingo L1 perfectly!

Anyway the issue I have with regards to the speeding ticket is that I passed a camera van at 70mph on a dual carriageway. Cars can do 70mph but "vans" can only do 60mph. "Car derived vans" however can do the same speed as cars! I am arguing that my Berlingo is a car derived van based on the definition above.

[polar]

i will have a look see at my v5 in a bit but there was no berlingo car for a van to be derived from the berlingo car is an adapted van

Do a search there was a big debate on this some time back due to some berlingo long wheel base vehicles being over 2t

[Roswell]

Thanks for the reply mate and yes it is true that the van came first butvthe term car derived van is described above and doesn't necessarily mean that the van has to be based on a car but can be built on the same platform as a car. I know there was a guy on this forum who lost his particular case but I've found evidence of similar situations elsewhere where people have had their speeding ticket cancelled due to this "grey area".

[Johny555]

If it says panel van on log book ,I think your stuffed mate,my old combo was car dirived van,but my Berlingo says panel van on log book,but I thought it went on the weight of the van,?very confusing,? if its got rear windows its classed as a car ,just to confuse us more,?

[polar]

Thanks for the reply mate and yes it is true that the van came first butvthe term car derived van is described above and doesn't necessarily mean that the van has to be based on a car but can be built on the same platform as a car. I know there was a guy on this forum who lost his particular case but I've found evidence of similar situations elsewhere where people have had their speeding ticket cancelled due to this "grey area".

I have checked and my 2008 600 says 'car derived van'

[Roswell]

Thanks for the reply mate and yes it is true that the van came first butvthe term car derived van is described above and doesn't necessarily mean that the van has to be based on a car but can be built on the same platform as a car. I know there was a guy on this forum who lost his particular case but I've found evidence of similar situations elsewhere where people have had their speeding ticket cancelled due to this "grey area".

I have checked and my 2008 600 says 'car derived van'

Really mate?? Is your van the current shape and not the old shape? Would you be able to scan the v5 with that section on it???

[polar]

Thanks for the reply mate and yes it is true that the van came first butvthe term car derived van is described above and doesn't necessarily mean that the van has to be based on a car but can be built on the same platform as a car. I know there was a guy on this forum who lost his particular case but I've found evidence of similar situations elsewhere where people have had their speeding ticket cancelled due to this "grey area".

I have checked and my 2008 600 says 'car derived van'

Really mate?? Is your van the current shape and not the old shape? Would you be able to scan the v5 with that section on it???

Its the old shape its called a Berlingo 1st - it was only a short run of the last of the old shape discontinued at the end of 2008. The reason i bought it over the old shape was i could spec it myself without ABS and it did not have a particulate filter fitted the new shape had both as standard.

If yours is the new shape im afraid you are stuffed!